52 of the
598 complaints filed about the Dodge Shadow
are about the electrical system —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1993.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 DODGE SHADOW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH STAYED IN THE ACC POSITION AND WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN OVER INTO AN ON AND OFF POSITION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE KEY FELL OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
NHTSA complaint #10692976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: THE VEHCILE IS A 1993 DODGE SHADOW ES. THE PROBLEM STARTED SOMETIME IN MARCH 2001. THE CONTACT HAD JUST PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, WHEN SHE NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD IN HE STEERING WHEEL AREA. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS. THEY REPLACED THE WIRE TO THE PARKING SWITCH AND THE PROPORTIANAL VALVE, IGNITION SWITCH, AND WIRING CONNECTOR TO THE SWITCH. THEY REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION ALSO, BECAUSE IT WAS SLIPPING THEY ADDED NEW CLUTCHES. IN MARCH OF 2005 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. SHE HAD TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INLINE FUSES. THEN ON JULY 8, 2005 AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES IT WAS STILL HOT. THEY TOOK IT HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. ABOUT AN HOUR OR MORE LATER IT WOULD NOT START. THE DOME LIGHT, HEAD LIGHTS, AND ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ON. THE NOISE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR WAS STILL ON. ALL THE NEEDLES ON THE GAUGES WERE GOING IN CIRCLES. THEN IT WENT DEAD. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND IT IS STILL THERE. THEY CAN NOT FIND WHY IT KEEPS BLOWING FUSES.
NHTSA complaint #10139693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
DT: THE VEHCILE IS A 1993 DODGE SHADOW ES. THE PROBLEM STARTED SOMETIME IN MARCH 2001. THE CONTACT HAD JUST PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, WHEN SHE NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD IN HE STEERING WHEEL AREA. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS. THEY REPLACED THE WIRE TO THE PARKING SWITCH AND THE PROPORTIANAL VALVE, IGNITION SWITCH, AND WIRING CONNECTOR TO THE SWITCH. THEY REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION ALSO, BECAUSE IT WAS SLIPPING THEY ADDED NEW CLUTCHES. IN MARCH OF 2005 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. SHE HAD TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INLINE FUSES. THEN ON JULY 8, 2005 AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES IT WAS STILL HOT. THEY TOOK IT HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. ABOUT AN HOUR OR MORE LATER IT WOULD NOT START. THE DOME LIGHT, HEAD LIGHTS, AND ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ON. THE NOISE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR WAS STILL ON. ALL THE NEEDLES ON THE GAUGES WERE GOING IN CIRCLES. THEN IT WENT DEAD. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND IT IS STILL THERE. THEY CAN NOT FIND WHY IT KEEPS BLOWING FUSES.
NHTSA complaint #10139693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: THE VEHCILE IS A 1993 DODGE SHADOW ES. THE PROBLEM STARTED SOMETIME IN MARCH 2001. THE CONTACT HAD JUST PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, WHEN SHE NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD IN HE STEERING WHEEL AREA. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS. THEY REPLACED THE WIRE TO THE PARKING SWITCH AND THE PROPORTIANAL VALVE, IGNITION SWITCH, AND WIRING CONNECTOR TO THE SWITCH. THEY REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION ALSO, BECAUSE IT WAS SLIPPING THEY ADDED NEW CLUTCHES. IN MARCH OF 2005 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. SHE HAD TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INLINE FUSES. THEN ON JULY 8, 2005 AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES IT WAS STILL HOT. THEY TOOK IT HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. ABOUT AN HOUR OR MORE LATER IT WOULD NOT START. THE DOME LIGHT, HEAD LIGHTS, AND ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ON. THE NOISE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR WAS STILL ON. ALL THE NEEDLES ON THE GAUGES WERE GOING IN CIRCLES. THEN IT WENT DEAD. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND IT IS STILL THERE. THEY CAN NOT FIND WHY IT KEEPS BLOWING FUSES.
NHTSA complaint #10139693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: CALLER'S -HUSBAND PURCHASED DAUGHTER A USED CAR. THE WIRING ON THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND THE FUMES AND THE SMOKE ALMOST KILLED HER. SHE HAD THE CAR FOR 1 MONTH WHEN THE PLASTIC STARTED BUBBLING AND MELTING WHILE DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS HAPPENED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10125083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER HAD PULLED INSIDE OF DRIVEWAY AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. IT STARTED SMOKING FROM THE DASHBOARD, ELECTRICAL FIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE. THERE WERE NO HEADLIGHTS AT ALL.
NHTSA complaint #873428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT THINGS STARTES HAPPENING,IT WAS USED WITH NO WARRANTY,MY FAULT BUT I CAN'T AFORD TO FIX DODGE'S MISTAKES. WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE I WAS GOING TO WORK AND WAS LATE BESIDES ALMOST WRECKING. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. I WANT TO TRADE IT IN AND GET SOMETHING ELSE BUT NO ONE WILL TAKE THIS CAR.
NHTSA complaint #727480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT THINGS STARTES HAPPENING,IT WAS USED WITH NO WARRANTY,MY FAULT BUT I CAN'T AFORD TO FIX DODGE'S MISTAKES. WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE I WAS GOING TO WORK AND WAS LATE BESIDES ALMOST WRECKING. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. I WANT TO TRADE IT IN AND GET SOMETHING ELSE BUT NO ONE WILL TAKE THIS CAR.
NHTSA complaint #727480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
DRIVER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT DUE TO A BAD WIRE HARNESS. THE HARNESS HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #857801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS PIECE OF CRAP CAR. FIRST THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AND THEN PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE CYLINDERS AND NOW I HAVE SOME SORT OF SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THE CAR THAT CAUSES THE RADIO TO GO OUT. I NOTICED THE TACHOMETER WAS JUMPING UP TO LIKE 5000RPM BY ITSELF AND THEN IT WOULD DROP TO ZERO. THIS HAPPENED FOR A WHILE. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RADIO GOES OUT AND SO DOES EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FUSE. I PROCEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUSE 15 TIMES UNTIL I TOOK A AMPERAGE READING WITH A MULTIMETER AND FOUND THAT 35 AMPS WAS FLOWING TO THAT FUSE THAT WAS BLOWING. THE NORMAL AMPERAGE IS 7 AMPS. FINALLY THE FUSE TOOK AND WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD OUT IT WENT AGAIN. SO I FIGURE A SHORT SOMEWHERE. MY FUEL SYSTEM IS ACTING UP ALSO. I HAD MY SYSTEM CLEANED AND IT STILL STALLS AND HESITATES. I WRIT ONLY BECAUSE MY UNCLE OWNS THE SAME CAR AND HAS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL INJECTION AND THE TRANSMISSION. CHRYSLER CORP WAS NO HELP. SURE THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR TONS OF CASH BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED.
NHTSA complaint #711444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AFTER NUMEROUS REPAIRS THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME BACK ON. DEALER TRACED CAUSE TO THREE BURNED WIRES LOCATED IN STEERING COLUMN; ALSO, CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT CHARGES WERE ADDED ON EACH TIME SHE HAD TO BRING VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #828275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, AND IF IT IS NOT ON, THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO RUN. WHEN IT IS ON, IT RUNS SLUGGISH. ALSO REPLACED IGNITION PLUGS/ROTOR/CAPS AND FUEL FILTER.
NHTSA complaint #780128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.